Contributor

Norway Photo Workshop – Winter in The Lofoten Islands

by

Norway Photo Workshop – Winter in The Lofoten Islands with Colby Brown

Only 2 spots left!

Come join Colby Brown on this Norway Photo Workshop Adventure that you will never forget! We will explore one of the most amazing winter photography locations on the planet, Norway’s own Lofoten Islands. Located above the arctic circle, these islands are home to some of the most spectacular seascapes in Europe. Additionally, because of its latitude, you have a greater chance to see the Northern Lights here than most places on the planet. During our 7 day adventure, we will split our focus between the famous town of Reine and the mountainous beaches of Leknes. This will put your right at the heart of some of the most incredible photographic location in the world!

Trip Dates: February 18th – 25th, 2023
Group Size: 10
Difficulty Level: Easy/Moderate

Our photo adventure in the Lofoten Islands will base just outside the town of Leknes for the duration of our workshop. There are multiple daily flights from Oslo to the Leknes Airport (LKN), giving you plenty of options to choose from when it comes to getting to this incredible part of the world. We will be staying in a series of fully renovated Rorbuer cabins that come equipped with not only private bathrooms in each room (with heated floors), but a living room area and full kitchen. It is here that we will make our own meals each night, allowing all participants to not only choose what they wish to eat, but save a little money in the process (eating out in Norway is VERY expensive).

  • Chasing the northern lights at night
  • Exploring a series of incredible fjords, beaches, inlets, lakes and mountain scenes
  • We will spend time photographing a number of the gorgeous red and yellow cabins that line the fjords
  • The Lofoten Islands are a photographers paradise
  • One of my favorite places to photograph in the winter.

To learn more about this fabulous workshop adventure to Norway, please visit:
https://www.colbybrownphotography.com/photography-workshops/norway-winter-photo-workshop/

Mark Potter’s New Book – Sunrise: A Photographic Journey

by

My friend Mark Potter, finally got his book published!
It’s a beautiful heart felt story to read and the photos are just beautiful!

Mark Potter - A Photographic Journey of Comfort, Healing, and Inspiration

The following text is from Amazon along with the link to order:

Sunrise: A Photographic Journey of Comfort, Healing, and Inspiration Hardcover
Author: Mark Potter,  208 pages

“The heartrending story behind Mark Potter’s marvelous photographs gives them a healing and hope-filled force. This book is more than a memorial to his remarkable wife; it lights a path forward for everyone who has experienced the darkest weight of grief and it reminds us to cherish every sunrise.” ––Carl Hiaasen

“With a moonless sky this early morning, it is eerily dark out here, and I can feel the weight of the hot and humid South Florida air. As I head toward the sound of the rolling ocean surf ahead of me, the soft beach sand shifts beneath my feet, making it hard for me to walk while balancing my two cameras and a heavy tripod. Even though I go out like this virtually every morning, it never gets old, and once again I am starting to get excited. I can even feel my breathing increase as I approach the shoreline. These are all welcome signs that I’m fully alive right now and am engaged in what I call “magic time.” It’s that ungodly hour of the day when most normal people are still safely at home, asleep in their comfortable beds––blissfully unaware that they are on the verge of missing out on one of the best lightshows on all of planet earth: The tropical sunrise!” ––Mark Potter

It is the unvarnished truth that all of Mark Potter’s bright and colorful sunrise photographs began from tragedy and grief, and were taken in memory of his wife who died from cancer. But as miracles sometimes have it, the images turned out to be the exact opposite of the way they began. They are upbeat and exciting, but also comforting and calming while capturing the natural world of Florida as it awakens to each new day with not only sunrises, but also seascapes, wildlife, marine life, flora, and fauna.

About the Author
Mark Potter is a 41-year veteran of television news and was an on-air correspondent for ABC News, CNN and NBC News. During his career, he traveled extensively and won national awards for his investigative reporting of narcotics trafficking, migrant smuggling and civil rights. Potter now devotes his retirement to photographing the Florida outdoors, turning his cameras toward beautiful sunrises, landscapes, wildlife and sunsets. He is a longtime resident of South Florida.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/149306603X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

2023 Photo Calendar

by

My 2023 Photo Calendar is ready for preorder.
My 2023 Photo Calendar is ready for preorder.

I have sent my order to the printing company. and should be ready in a week or two. I am using a Florida based printing company that has recovered from hurricane Ian.

The calendars will feature:

  • 100# glossy paper
  • 12″ x 9″ in size
  • wire bound
  • UV coated

I think I selected some terrific images for the 2023 calendar. If you need more than 5 calendars, please contact me and let me know how many you need.

Order your 2023 photo calendar today!
To order online – visit: https://www.leesmithphotos.com/calendar/

I am accepting Checks, Zelle and Credit Cards, let me know if you have any questions

This is a great way to support my work and help me at the same time.
Thank you!

Lee Smith, Photographer
Smitty’s Holdings, Inc.
Contact page: https://www.leesmithphotos.com/contact-us/

Are you looking for some new Wall Art?

by

Take a look at our wide collection of colorful photographic Wall Art at Lee Smith Photos  
Locally Printed by Expert Companies

Are you looking for some new Wall Art?
Visit https://www.leesmithphotos.com/ to view our wide selection of Artwork at affordable prices

Dolomites Photography Workshop Adventure with Colby Brown

by
Sunrise at Passo Giau Near Cortina, Italy - Dolomites Photography Workshop Adventure with Colby Brown
Sunrise at Passo Giau Near Cortina, Italy

The Dolomites are home to some of the most breathtaking mountain views in the world, let alone in Europe. Our team will work hard to get you to the best spots to capture the best light at the right time. Each day we will not only focus our attention on finding the most dramatic sunrise and sunset locations but also offer optional night/Astro excursions when the weather permits. This workshop begins close to the first day of a new moon, so if the skies open up, the photographic opportunities will be endless! For a landscape photographer, the Dolomites  are like a beautiful paradise waiting to be explored!

Dolomites Photography Workshop Adventure with Colby Brown

  • Trip Dates – October 16th – 23rd, 2022
  • Tuition Costs – $4250
  • Group Size – 8 people
  • Difficulty Level – Easy to Moderate (Hikes)
Seiser Alm Sunrise - Dolomites Photography Workshop Adventure with Colby Brown
Seiser Alm Sunrise – Dolomites

There are a number of locations we have on our list that we hope to show you. This workshop includes:

  • Tre Cime Lavaredo
  • Lago di Karessa
  • Lago di Braines
  • Cinque Torri
  • St Magdalena
  • Giau Pass
  • Lago di Antorno
  • Lago di misurina
  • Laghetto Baita
  • Segantini
  • Antholzer See
  • Chiesetta di San Giovanni in Ranui
  • Pordoi Pass
  • and more!

For more details about this photography workshop, please visit:  The Dolomites Photography Workshop Adventure with Colby Brown

Lado di Limides Epic Sunset - Dolomites Photography Workshop
Lado di Limides Epic Sunset – Dolomites Photography Workshop

About Colby Brown
Colby is a photographer, photo educator and author based out of Eastern Pennsylvania. Specializing in landscape, travel and wildlife photography, his body of work spans the four corners of the globe and covers all 7 continents.
Visit this link to find out more about Colby Brown:  https://www.colbybrownphotography.com/about-colby-brown/

 

Eco Simplista – Eco-Friendly Home Improvement Company

by

Eco Simplista - Eco-Friendly Home Improvement CompanyEco-Friendly Home Improvement Company

At Eco Simplista, we are dedicated to providing our community with non-toxic solutions to improve your health, update and enhance your home, and better our world. We are an eco-friendly home improvement company that offers the best environmentally friendly paints, green non-toxic countertops, eco flooring, decorative concrete and wide range of green products & cleaning supplies designed to protect your home from harmful toxic pollutants.

EcoSimplista works closely with Alternative Constructors, whom manufactures concrete countertops using a new school method called GFRC (glass fiber reinforced concrete). Alternative Constructors concrete countertops are 100% custom, made-to-order countertops. There are 32 standard colors to choose from

An overview of our environmentally safe products:

Caulk, Sealants, & Adhesives Caulk, Sealants, & Adhesives from Eco Simplista

 

Barnwood Doors – Barn Doors, Hardware, Handles Barn Doors, Hardware, Handles from Eco Simplista

 

Decorative Concrete – Countertop Products, Flooring Products, Wall Products Decorative Concrete - Countertop Products, Flooring Products, Wall Products from Eco Simplista in South Florida

 

Countertops – Alkemi, Acrylic, Polyester Decorative Concrete - Countertop Products, Flooring Products, Wall Products from Eco Simplista in South Florida

 

Flooring – Bamboo, Cork, Hardwood, Marmoleum, Vinyl Flooring Products - Aggregates, Bag mixes, Colors / Stains / Dyes, Efflorescence, Epoxy Systems, Equipment, Sealers, Stamps, Surface Prep, Non-Skid, Polished Concrete Systems from Eco Simplista in South Florida

 

Reclaimed Wood Reclaimed Wood from Eco Simplista in South Florida

 

Painting Supplies

Exterior Paints, Interior Paints, Primers, Equipment, Floor Paints from Eco Simplista in South Florida Painting Supplies - Exterior Paints, Interior Paints, Primers, Equipment, Floor Paints from Eco Simplista in South Florida

 

Roof Coatings – Sealers, Primers Roof Coatings - Sealers, Primers from Eco Simplista in South Florida

 

Wall Finishes – Stucco, Plaster, Concrete Wall Finishes - Stucco, Plaster, Concrete

 

Wood Finishes – Surface Prep, Stains, Sealers Wood Finishes - Surface Prep, Stains, Sealers from Eco Simplista in South Florida

 

Coatings – Tile, Grout, Carpet Coatings - Tile, Grout, Carpet from Eco Simplista in South Florida

Non-Toxic Sealers

Brick, Carpet, Decks and Driveways, Epoxy, Furniture, Gym Floors and Auditorium Heating and Air Conditioning Ducts, Masonry and Concrete, Panels, Plaster, Roofs Rubber Sealants, Tile & Grouts, Vinyl, Wood Cabinetry and Doors, Wood Floors, Wood Railings

Non-Toxic Sealers - Brick, Carpet, Decks and Driveways, Epoxy, Furniture, Gym Floors and Auditorium, Heating and Air Conditioning Ducts, Masonry and Concrete, Panels, Plaster, Roofs, Rubber Sealants, Tile & Grouts, Vinyl, Wood Cabinetry and Doors, Wood Floors, Wood Railings from Eco Simplista

Contact us today to find out how we can help you with our Eco Friendly Products!

Eco Simplista – Eco-Friendly Home Improvement Company
217 SW 33rd Court, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315
(954) 565-5900
https://www.ecosimplista.com/

Kub Kao Thai & Sushi – Davie, FL

by

Kub Kao Thai & Sushi, 4777 S University Dr., Davie, FL 33328, (954) 716-6424 - authentic Thai & Sushi meals.

On Sunday Night, I took my wife out for dinner to celebrate our anniversary. We went to a terrific restaurant called Kub Kao Thai & Sushi.

  • The food was excellent!
  • The service was wonderful and the ambiance was upscale and comfortable.
  • Best of all the prices are very reasonable for authentic Thai & Sushi meals.
  • The restaurant is located of University Drive,  just south of Griffin Road near the Publix.

Kub Kao Thai & Sushi - Dragon Roll Kub Kao Thai & Sushi

Check out the menus:
Lunch – https://kubkaothaisushi.com/lunch-menu/
Dinner – https://kubkaothaisushi.com/menu/

You can order online – visit: https://kubkaothaisushi.com/

Chef Ji - Kub Kao Thai & Sushi in Davie, Florida

We were fortunate to meet the owner, Chef Ji.  Kub Kao is a modern Thai restaurant. They keep things simple, placing importance on authentic techniques, quality ingredients, and so much flavor. Their recipes are a living history, passed down to Chef Ji by his late grandmother, a feast of spices. With over fifteen years of experience in Thai and Sushi cuisine, Chef Ji recreates his childhood classics for you. From Tom Yum Goong to Gaeng Daeng, he hopes that Kub Kao can be a comfort to all, an authentic Thai food experience: no fuss or frills, simply delicious dishes for young and old to enjoy.

 

 

Inside the Kub Kao Thai & Sushi in Davie, Florida

  

Kub Kao Thai & Sushi
4777 S University Drive, Davie FL 33328
(954) 716-6424
https://kubkaothaisushi.com

 

Kub Kao Thai & Sushi - 4777 S University Dr., Davie, FL 33328

Norway Photo Workshop – Winter in The Lofoten Islands

by
Norway Photo Workshop – Winter in The Lofoten Islands with Colby Brown
Norway Photo Workshop – Winter in The Lofoten Islands with Colby Brown
  • Our photo adventure takes place in the Lofoten Islands – a beautiful archipelago
  • There are multiple daily flights from Oslo to the Leknes Airport (LKN).
  • We will be staying in a series of fully renovated Rorbuer cabins that come equipped with not only private bathrooms in each room (with heated floors) and a living room area and full kitchen – we will make our own meals each night.

The Lofoten Islands are a photographers paradise:

  • Northern lights at night.
  • Exploring a series of incredible fjords.
  • Beautiful beaches, inlets & lakes.
  • Dramatic mountains, open sea and sheltered bays
  • We will also spend time photographing a number of the gorgeous red and yellow cabins that line the fjords
Norway Photo Workshop – Winter in The Lofoten Islands with Colby Brown
Norway Photo Workshop – Winter in The Lofoten Islands with Colby Brown

Trip Dates – February 18th – 25th, 2023
Tuition Costs – $3950
Group Size – 8-12
Difficulty Level – Easy/Moderate

For more information and to register, visit:
https://www.colbybrownphotography.com/photography-workshops/norway-winter-photo-workshop/

Patagonia Photography Workshop Adventure with Colby Brown

by
Cerro Torre Reflections at Sunrise
Cerro Torre Reflections at Sunrise with Colby Brown

Colby Brown is a photographer, photo educator and author based out of Eastern Pennsylvania. Specializing in landscape, travel workshops and humanitarian photography, his photographic portfolio spans the four corners of the globe. Throughout his work, one can see that he combines his love of the natural world with his fascination of the world’s diverse cultures. Each of his photographs tells a story of life on this planet.

Come join Colby Brown on this incredible Patagonia photography workshop adventure down in this wild and beautiful region of South America. Set in the heart of the Andean mountain range in southern Chile & Argentina during fall colors, you will get to experience first hand the geologic wonder of both Torres del Paine National Park and Los Glaciares National Park.

It is here you will photograph incredible locations such as:

  • Lago Pahoe at the base of the Cuernos del Paine
  • The dream-like reflections of Laguna Amarga
  • The calving ice of the Perito Moreno Glacier
  • The spires of Cerro Torre
  • The crown of Argentina, Mt. Fitz Roy
  • Plus more places to visit

Trip Dates:
(Group 1) March 29th – April 7th, 2023
(Group 2) April 12th – 21st, 2023

Tuition Costs: $5450

Group Size: 10

Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate Hiking

This is the bucket list of all bucket list locations for landscape and outdoor adventure photographers.

Visit this page for more information and to register:
https://www.colbybrownphotography.com/photography-workshops/patagonia-photo-adventure-workshop/

Recent Legislation about Florida Hurricane Retrofitting

by

CS/SB 2-D — Property Insurance
by Appropriations Committee and Senator Boyd

The Reinsurance to Assist Policyholders program authorizes a $2 billion dollar reimbursement layer of reinsurance for hurricane losses directly below the mandatory layer of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (FHCF). The FHCF mandatory retention is $8.5 billion for the 2022-2023 contract year.

 

Effective July 1, 2022, the bill appropriates $150 million from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Financial Services’ My Safe Florida Home Program to provide :

  • hurricane mitigation inspections
  • matching grants for the performance of hurricane retrofitting on homestead single family homes with a value of $500,000 or less located in the wind-borne debris region set forth in the Florida Building Code.
  • The My Safe Florida Home Program, which is administered by the Department of Financial Services, will provide financial incentives for Florida residential property owners to obtain free home inspections that would identify mitigation measures and also provide grants to retrofit such properties, thereby reducing their vulnerability to hurricane damage and helping decrease the cost of residential property insurance.

The bill revises the eligibility criteria for receiving program grants. It:

  • Requires that a homeowner who receives a mitigation grant agree to make his or her home available for inspection after the mitigation project is completed.
  • Requires that a building permit for initial construction of the home must have been made before January 1, 2008.
  • Requires the home to have undergone an acceptable hurricane mitigation inspection after July 1, 2008.
  • Grants awarded under the program provide $2 in grant funds for every $1 provided by the homeowner.
  • Exceptions are provided for low-income homeowners.
  • Applicants may receive up to $10,000 in program money.

The Department of Financial Services must include in the annual report of program activities the average annual amount of insurance premium discounts and the total of such discounts received from insurers.

The bill allocates appropriated funds as follows:

  • $25 million for hurricane mitigation inspections.
  • $115 million for hurricane mitigation grants.
  • $4 million for education and consumer awareness.
  • $1 million for public outreach to contractors, real estate brokers, and sales associates.
  • $5 million for administrative costs.

https://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/BillSummaries/2022D/html/2874